


Playing your role

by Blue Mousie (NiebieskaMyszka)



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Gen, Pre-Slash, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 14:04:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11556738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiebieskaMyszka/pseuds/Blue%20Mousie
Summary: Captain Silver needs to keep up his reputation, but more important he needs to be on a good side of his men. So they took prize after prize without looking back until one day John met peculiar merchant.





	Playing your role

It was a nice day.

Men were full of energy and hungry for prize.

John thought it was enough to take a merchant sloop without a fight.

He remembered what Captain Hornigold said about boarding. It was a matter of practice and patient, the art of not scaring other ship's captain and not daring a the crew.

“Mr. Bones, prepare for boarding!” John yelled with a smile, when he saw other ship lowered their English flag.

“Aye, captain! Prepare to aboard!”

“Are you sure, captain?” Mr. Gates asked, while others men ran around them.

Wind was on their side. _Walrus_ had more gun power and more muskets. Besides, it was small sloop. What could they do to the crew full of angry, merciless pirates?

“Yes, I'm sure, Mr. Gates.”

Quartermaster shrugged and began yelling orders and navigating ship, so they would not collided.

When they were near enough, John looked at the other captain.

He stand on stern looking back without hatred, just cold acceptance of inevitable. And wasn’t it interesting? The pride has been leaking from his posture. The man looked skilled enough to fight them, no fear or reluctance in his eyes.

Mr. Gates came to him, answering unasked question.

“He must be part of Royal Navy, used to standing at attention. You see his stiff pose? Definitely sailor with experience.”

“You think it's trap?”

“How knows?”

And then Mr. Gates was gone to make sure everything was ready for a fight, if there would be any trouble. John looked after him, knitting his eyebrows. This man was hiding something and John didn't like not knowing.

His suspicions was confirmed, when the other crew's captain exchange careful nods with him.

John knew Mr. Gates was an excellent quartermaster. Sometimes too good. The crew liked him, so cast him off without a defiance wasn't an option. John needed to found a better way to replace him, so the crew didn't suspect anything.

Resignation would be the best, but who in their right mind would let go of Spanish gold?

The other crew captain was looking at John, waiting for his next move.

“Search the ship, if there is anything worth trade take it, if not, leave.” John commanded loud enough to be heard on the ship.

“And if they want fight?” Billy played along, smirking at other captain's grimace.

“Kill them. We don't need a trouble.”

John liked this game so much: making people fear a mere thought of resistance. He didn't want to kill any of them, prize, however was its formal value, wasn't worth man’s life.

The other captain clenched his jaw, but John didn't know if it was effect of anger or he triad not to smirk himself, which was... strange.

John tilted his head.

Most of the ships captain feared about their life and consequences of robbery, but this one just stand there and... judging him.

John frown, when the other man nodded in approval, seeing Billy's men searching deck. The other crew stand there and watching pirates taking the prize without any bad look.

“Something's not right here.” John said, before he took a gun and went to meet the man himself.

If it was a trap, he would know after seeing his reaction to sudden, yet unexpected move. John only needed small sign. And he was good with words. Getting under somebody's skin was easier than fighting them – not that John was defenseless, but using sward made possibility of unnecessary murder much higher.

So he came to other captain, who now stand even more still, and nodded greetings.

“I'm John Silver.”

Introducing himself after murmurs of his brutality and vogues had made a lot more fun, even if more often than not its had ended with begging for sparing one's life.

For a long, long time John was coward hidden behind his mischief. He wasn't ashamed to admit that, in contrast to popular beliefs.

John expected an introduction in return, but other captain only raised an eyebrow.

“Long John Silver?” he asked instead and something in John's stomach turned. “And this is _Walrus_.”

Another distraction.

John smiled.

“The one and only.”

The man snorted, but didn't said anything else, waiting for John to play his game.

He should ask about the name. If only from pure stubbornness and playfulness. The man looked like someone who didn't expect pirates having manners.

They watched in silence like Billy's men carried a barrel with heavy cargo. John raised an eyebrow at his bosun, but the man shook his head.

John looked at the captain, who signed.

“It's rum.” the man confirmed.

So rum-runners. How unexpected.

“Take a good care of it, Billy. We don't want a waste.”

John smirked, but didn't commented further.

“When I see an opportunity, I take it.” John admitted after few minutes of silence, although wasn't sure why he wanted to justified his actions to stranger.

The man looked at him and smirked.

“Pirates are creature of desires.”

“And merchants aren't?” John countered, taking satisfaction from visible twitch on other man's face. “Aren't they trying to selling overpriced goods to make more money? Pirates at least are honest of their desires.”

Other captain looked at him without a shame.

“And merchants aren't honest to their desires, Mr. Silver?”

The way he whispered his name... John felt a shiver through his spin. There was some strange feeling inside John's chest he couldn't put his finger on. Like excitement, but not quite it. He felt more impatient and nervous, waiting for something to happened.

“Are you, Mr. Merchant? A creature of... honesty?”

He decided showing some of his cards, even if it sounded like bad idea.

“Am I now, Mr. Silver?”

His voice was quiet, but intentions quite clear. John swallowed, not sure how to answer, when Billy yelled from deck.

“We're done here, captain!”

And the moment was gone.

The other man looked away, leaving John more curious than he liked to. Damn him.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I shouldn't publish it when I have only one part (with my long history of dropping fics), but I can't resist it. It isn't long, just two scenes in total - one per chapter, so I hope it wouldn't end up like usual. 
> 
> It isn't beta'd, so if there's someone kind enough to help me with it, I'll be very appreciate. If you have any questions, here is[my tumblr](https://piratesmouse.tumblr.com). Go and ask. 
> 
> To the next time : )


End file.
